Improvement in cotton-harvesters



R, H, PIRTLIL ZSheets-Sheet 1.

Cotton-Harvesters.-

Patented Feb. 25,1879.

My PETERS. FHOTCLLITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C

BY ATTORNEYS.

No. 212,740. Patented Feb. 25,1879.

INVE DR: 72AM W ATTORNEYS.

N PETERS. PHQTD-LITMQQRAPHER. WASHVNGTOM D C.

UNITED SrA'rns PATENT Orrron.

ROBERT H. PIRTLE, OF LOWES, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEIAVIENII' IN COTT'ON-HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 21 2,740, datedFebruary 25, 1879 application filed November 5, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT HENRY Pra- TLE, of Lowes, in the county ofGraves and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Cotton Pickers, of which the following is a specification:

Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a top View of my improved machine. Fig. 2, Sheet1, is a side view of the same. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, represents twohorizontal "sections of the same, the upper half, or that portionnearest the top of the sheet, being in line m w of Fig. 2, and thatportion nearest the bottom of the sheet being in line 3 3 of samefigure. Fig. 4 of Sheet 2 is avertical section in line as a; of Fig. 1,a portion of the inner side of box G being broken away. Fig. 5, Sheet 2,is a detail front view of a part of the forward end of the machine.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to furnish an improved machine forpicking cotton from the plants in the field, which shall be simple inconstruction, comparatively inexpensive in manufacture, of light draft,and effective in operation.

The invention will first be described in conconnection with thedrawings, and then pointed out in the claims.

A are the drive-wheels, which revolve upon the journals of the axle B.To the axle Bis attached the rear part of the frame 0. The forward endof the machine is supported by the caster-wheels D, the standards E ofwhich pass up through and work in holes in the forward ends of the sidebars of the frame 0, the ends of the lower side bars of the said frame 0resting upon cross-heads 0 formed upon or attached to the said standardsjust above the wheels D. The cross-heads 0 also serve as supports forthe attachment of the thills F. To the standards E, just above the endsof the lower side bars of the frame 0, are attached drafthooks 0 towhich the horses are attached.

G are two boxes, which are made open at their rear and forward ends andat the forward part of their inner sides. The boxes G are hinged attheir outer rear corners to vertical rods II, attached to the frameOinsuch a way that the said boxes may be slid up and down upon the saidrods, according as the height of the plants to be operated upon mayrequire. To the forward parts of the top and bottom of the boxes G arepivoted the ends of two cylinders, I, to which are attached circularrows of teeth J.

The teeth J project through the spaces between the metal straps K, whichare bent into U form and passed around the inner sides of the toothedcylinders I J. The ends of these strips are attached to the innersurface of the outer sides of the boxes G, or to cleats at tached to thesaid sides. I

'By this construction, as the machine is drawn forward, the teeth J ofthe cylinders I take hold of the fibers of the cotton, draw it from theplants, and carry it back into the boxes G. As the teeth J pass inbetween the rear parts of the straps K they are withdrawn from thecotton, leaving the said cotton in the middle parts of the boxes G,whence it is taken by the teeth L of the endless belts M and droppedinto the receiving-box N, formed in the rear part of the frame C.

The rear end-board, n, and the forward en dboard, a, are madedetachable, their ends sliding in grooves or spaces between cleatsattached to the side-boards of the said box N, in the manner of theend-boards of a wagon-box.

To the upper edge of the forward end-board, W, are attached fingers O,which project upward and are curved forward, so as to pass between therows of teeth L of the endless belts M, to remove the cotton from thesaid teeth and allow it to fall into the receivingbox N. v

The endless belts M pass around rollers P, pivoted to the lower part ofthe sides of the boxes G, and around the roller Q, pivoted to the upperside-bars of the frame 0.

To the inner sides of the drive-wheels A are attached pulleys It, aroundwhich are passed endless bands S. The bands S pass around guide-pulleysT and U, pivoted to supports attached to the sides of the frame 0, andaround pulleys V, attached to the projecting ends of the upper journalsof the toothed cylinders I J so that the said cylinders may be revolvedby the advance of the machine.

One of the pulleys, It, is made double, and

around it is passed an endless band, NV. The band W is crossed and ispassed around a pulley, X, attached to the projecting end of a journalof the roller Q, so that the said roller may be revolved in the properdirection by the advance of the machine.

The endless bands S are kept taut as the boxes G are swung upon theirhinges by the idlers Y, which rest upon them, and which are pivoted tothe free ends of the bars Z, the other ends of which are pivoted to theframe 0, and to which are attached weights A, to hold the idlers Y downupon the bands S with the required force.

The toothed belts M are kept taut by the idlers B, which are pivoted tothe lower ends of the bars 0. The upper ends of the bars 0 are pivotedto a rod, D, the ends of which are attached to the frame O. Against theforward sides of the bars G rest the ends of arms E, formed upon orattached to the rods F, which work in hearings in the frame O, and tothe ends of which are attached, or upon which are formed, arms G, whichproject forward, and have weights H attached to them to hold the idlersB against the toothed belts L M with the requisite force.

This device is especially designed to take up the slack of the toothedbelts L M when the boxes G and their attachments are raised.

The boxes Gr are raised and lowered by means of the levers I, which arepivoted to supports J, attached to the platform K,secured to the forwardparts of the top bars of the frame 0.

To the rear ends of the levers l are pivoted the upper ends of the rodsL, the lower ends of which are attached to the upper rear parts of theboxes Gr. The forward parts of the levers I move along the sides of theuprights M, the lower ends of which are at tached to the platform K, andwhich have a number of holes formed in them to receive pins N, attachedto the sides of the said levers I, to hold the boxes G securely in anyposition into which they may be adjusted.

O are two bent levers, the lower arms of which pass down through and arepivoted in holes in the platform K. The lower parts of the lower arms ofthe levers 0 pass through keepers attached to the forward ends of theboxes Gr, so that the said boxes can be raised and lowered withoutaffecting the said levers The upper arms of the levers 0 project inward,and their ends rest against the lower side of the lever P, theforwardend of which is hinged to a support, Q, attached to the forwardmiddle part of the plat-form K.

The rear part of the lever P passes along the side of an upright, It, orthrough the loop or slotted upright It. The lower end of the upright orloop It is attached to the platform and in the said upright or loop R isformed a number of holes to receive a pin, S, attached to the side ofthe lever 1 to hold the said lever .P securely in any position intowhich it may be adjusted.

By this arrangement, by operating the lever 1 the boxes G and theirattachments may be swung toward or from each other, as the size of theplants or other circumstances may require.

T is the drivers seat, which is attached to the platform K in such aposition that the driver can readily reach and operate the three leversI I P from the said seat.

The U-shaped metal straps K should be adjustable, so that they may bemoved forward or backward by means of a lever or other suitable means,to make the projecting parts of the teeth J shorter or longer, as may berequired, the said straps thus serving as clearers, at the same timethat they regulate the length of the teeth.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patcut- 1. The combination, with the toothed belts L M, ofthe pivoted idlers B, pivoted bars G, rod D, rocking rods F, having armsE, and the weighted arms G, as and for the purpose specified. a

2. In a cotton-picker, the toothed cylinders I, pivoted to boxes G, thatare open at front, rear, and forward part of inner sides, and hinged aswell as sliding on rods H, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The levers 0, having upper arms that rest at their ends against lowerside of lever P, and lower arms that pass through keepers on the forwardends of the boxes G, as and for the purpose described.

ROBERT HENRY PIRTLE.

Witnesses:

J. P. MORRILL, LUOIEN M. PALMER.

